EV Adventurers drive a BMW i3 from Edinburgh to Monte Carlo and back in 60hrs

Seasoned ‘Plug in’ adventurer Christopher Ramsey, an electric vehicle enthusiast, enjoys nothing more than pushing the boundaries of electric vehicle travel and testing the UK and Europe’s EV infrastructures to the limits.

After a few weeks of careful planning, driving all the way to Monte Carlo gave Christopher his first taste of not only driving in Europe, but driving the all-electric BMW i3 on a long distance journey.

Driving down through the very heart of the UK and France, passing a large collection of wind farms and the elegance of French chateaus along the way, the highlight was very much the extravagance and hustle and bustle of Monte Carlo. The BMWi 3, which Chris and his co-driver Terry, affectionately name “Monte” was very much at home on these streets despite being amongst a mass of car royalty.

Edinburgh Castle provided the backdrop for the start of the adventure

36 Rapid Charges were required to complete the journey

The French Sodetrel Network proved to be totally reliable

‘Monte’ enjoying the glamour of Casino Square – Monte Carlo

The Port of Monaco

Chris said;

“The opportunity the drive to such a beautiful city like Monte Carlo was one I could just not turn down. The charging infrastructure in the UK is extremely reliable, something I know well and I have been putting it to the test since 2013, but on the continent was a bit of an unknown for me, so when I met Terry and we discussed the plans I jumped at the chance. Apart from some difficulties in Calais, the drive through France was stunning and the charge points worked perfectly. When we arrived in Monte Carlo, well, this is where little Monte came into his own, the 180bhp electric motor allowed us to nip through the streets of Monte Carlo with ease, with Monte turning a lot of heads along the way I might add.”

“Whilst this was definitely the most ambitious challenge I have taken on to date, it was excellent practice for the future, as I have more long distance adventures in the pipeline.”

Chris Ramsey is no stranger to putting electric cars through epic drives. Only in April, Plug In Adventures completed the North Coast 500 (Scotland’s answer to Route 66), becoming the first person ever to complete the route in an all-electric vehicle, and costing £0 in electricity due to UK Scotlands chargepoints currently being free to use.

“It’s no secret that I’m an EV advocate – I genuinely enjoy owning and running my own electric vehicle, knowing that I’m doing my bit for the environment whilst benefitting from the low-running costs. There’s still scepticism about the capabilities of EVs on long journeys, and “Range Anxiety” is the main barrier stopping people from looking at electric vehicles. That’s why I delight in pushing all-electric travel to the limits and taking on the really big drives to show these cars can easily provide the day-to-day range of almost any driver. If we can drive 2551miles in 60hrs, people can easily drive outside the town or visit friends or family in another city.”

Charging….

The trip required 36 charges in total with the UK ones being free at the time and the Sodetrel Corri-Door ones in France costing €1.5 for a 20min charge.

The French element of the trip cost €45 and €10 to register with the EDF run Sodetrel Corri-dorr network. With a diversion in Newcastle and a faulty unit south of Calais they actually covered 2705 miles.

Since the recent introduction of charging fees for the Ecotricity’s Electric Highway, an additional £80 would see the UK element completed – including the return journey home to Edinburgh.

All in this equates to less than 5p a mile…..

Plug In Adventures was founded by Chris in 2011 and was born from a combined love of adventure and electric vehicles. Chris is the leading EV Adventurer in the UK and regularly participates in guest Speaking, TV& Radio appearances and EV adventures.

His aim is to engage with the public in unique and different ways, championing all things EV-related.

Follow Plug in Adventures on Twitter and Facebook for all of the latest from the team.

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